Sunday, February 22, 2015

pt deux

Truth: i am not mind blown by this move to France. Perhaps because the seed was planted sometime last summer, and for those of you who know me, when i plant a seed it grows (37 tomato plants later....). In other words, when i get set on an idea, its more likely then anything to happen, and is sometimes bigger than i can handle (so much canning that year....). This time, however, is not one of those too big times. Its the perfect size really. You see, living here is just like living anywhere else: life still basically revolves around food and yoga, i just dont know how to talk to anyone about them. But i trust that i will learn French while i am here, just as i will learn more about me, about my mind, about my heart.

Because although my mind is relatively calm about this transition, my heart has been BLOWN WIDE APART!!!!

Seriously, without the capitals and exclamation points, i dont know that i could communicate, even in my native language, just how much love i am feeling. For D and R to open their Marseille home to me with open arms and full glasses, im.....whoah. boom.

Even before i got here, though, it--my heart that is--was feeling a bit overwhelmed. As Mexico clearly deserves its own write up, i will again only detail simply that what happened there, from two incredible women making it possible for me to come and chef it, to the two weeks of feeling the most present and in agreeance with myself that i have ever felt, totally connected to the food i was cooking in the jungle as it was for our little family there, was pure magic. Then there were the six days at home where while my mind was simultaneously in four places: meditating on Mexi, organizing what needed to be done before the next adventure, thinking all the way ahead to when i would be back again, and trying to remain as present as i had been in the last two weeks for all the goodness in that transition space, and while my body was like: i want chocolate and a nap, my heart was like HOLY F**K there is so much love in my life.

There is something for everybody. Because as i live these days out here, there are constantly little reflections, thoughts, moments, foods, sounds, movements, that are connected to each person back home and elsewhere that pushed my hearts capacity. Thank you for that. Thank you for being here. I love you back infinitely.

Truth deux: while yes, in its simplicity, life is still all food and yoga. But food here, in its simplicity, is grand. Belgian endive was the first thing to surprise me: humble bitter salad greens. Impec (which is impeccable in French, loosely--see, learning!). And simply being able to walk a couple blocks for any number of boulangeries and patisseries and fresh produce, butchers, fish right off the boat; i love not having to shop for the week, but instead for the meal. I have already found my favorite grocer, he has terrible teeth but the most amazing smile, and you can buy one egg at a time, laid that morning. D showed me an organic shop, and in between the two a cheese shop that makes me limitless heart skip a beat or six. It is no trouble to eat well here. And we have.

And yoga. Well, i get to move in a room strewn with light from six foot tall windows. And D and i made a video together that basically depicts what yoga here, life here in general, will be like. And i wish there was a way to stretch your shin bones, because ive got splints from walking to get all those groceries and explore this city that after just three short days, has become home.